Bet Medhani Alem

2 reviews of Bet Medhani Alem

Alfonso Navarro Táppero

largest monolithic church in the world

Bet Medhane Alem (House of the Redeemer of the World) is the highest and most extensive of all the churches of Lalibela. Fully carved into the rock, it is 34 meters long by 24 meters wide, and has the honor of being the largest monolithic church in the world. Built in the manner of a Greek temple it is completely surrounded by pillars of square columns. On the stone block are the perfectly divine elements of the temple: Porch, ships, domes, windows and lavish decoration with reliefs form a unique collection. The church is completely surrounded by pillars (following the traditional canons of Axumite period), 18 inside and 18 outside, which for some specialists implies a clear relationship with Hebrew numerology where 18 corresponds with the numerical value of the word jai (life).